Political Blotter: Donnelly launches referendum against vaccination law

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Gubernatorial candidate TIm Donnelly meets with the press in front of a backdrop of poster carrying supporters at the California GOP convention at the Hyatt Regency in Burlingame, Calif., Saturday morning March 15, 2014. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)

This is a sampling from Bay Area News Group’s Political Blotter blog. Read more and post comments at www.ibabuzz.com/politics.

July 1

Former Assemblyman and 2014 gubernatorial candidate Tim Donnelly is launching a referendum campaign to overturn California’s new law requiring mandatory vaccinations for public and private school students.

Donnelly, the arch-conservative from Twin Peaks, submitted his proposed referendum Wednesday to the state Attorney General’s Office for preparation of an official title and summary, with which he can circulate petitions to place it on the November 2016 ballot.

“This referendum is not about vaccinations; it is about defending the fundamental freedom of a parent to make an informed decision for their children without being unduly penalized by a government that believes it knows best,” he said in a news release.

It certainly seems to be in keeping with Donnelly’s political philosophy; his talk radio show’s website describes him as “broadcasting from deep behind enemy lines in the occupied territory of the socialist republic of California.” Donnelly finished third, with about 15 percent of the vote, behind Gov. Jerry Brown and Republican rival Neel Kashkari in last year’s top-two gubernatorial primary.

Donnelly’s news release says California enjoys one of the nation’s highest vaccination rates, even though it has let people opt out for personal or religious reasons. But by signing SB 277 into law Tuesday, Brown “deprived every Californian of that choice should they wish to send their children to a private or public school,” the release said.

“For the vast majority, this is not an issue, but for those who are concerned about the inherent risks of an ever increasing schedule of vaccinations, or who themselves or their children have suffered severe reactions, up to and including death, having the freedom to opt out is everything,” the release said. “Now, that freedom is subject to the arbitrary control and subjective determination of a doctor and the government, instead of the parent.”

State Sen. Richard Pan, the pediatrician who authored SB 277, issued a statement later Wednesday noting Californians “overwhelmingly support requiring vaccinations for school.

“Our bill was a reasonable, science-based approach to protecting children, and the most vulnerable among us, from dangerous diseases,” wrote Pan, D-Sacramento. “Vaccines are one of the most powerful tools we have to prevent deadly communicable diseases. I have spent my career campaigning to build healthier and safe communities and I will continue that work by fighting any referendum that hurts Californians.”

July 1

Rocky Chávez, a Republican seeking one of California’s U.S. Senate seats in 2016, had some choice words Wednesday for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.

Trump’s incendiary comments about immigrants from Mexico have landed him in hot water, as Univision, NBC Universal and Macy’s have cut ties with the reality-television businessman. Chávez, an assemblyman from Oceanside, took him to task with a statement issued Wednesday.

“It saddens me that the narrative being set for Republicans at a national level can be initiated by someone who has never been elected,” he said, noting his GOP colleagues in the state Legislature “have a proven track record of supporting legislation that encourages comprehensive immigration reform.”

Chávez earlier this year co-authored Senate Joint Resolution 2 by Sen. Andy Vidak, R-Hanford, which urged Congress and the president to work together for comprehensive immigration reform; a majority of Assembly Republicans supported it.

“Immigrants come to the United States from all over the world to both benefit from and contribute to our society; we owe it to our nation to welcome immigrants with open arms and to reform our current broken immigration system,” Chávez said “We must not forget that the United States of America is a nation of immigrants and our society has always grown stronger as we form a more diverse society. Immigration was a catalyst of the American dream in the past and will be the key to the future.”

Others who have declared candidacy for the 2016 senatorial election include state Attorney General Kamala Harris, a Democrat; Rep. Loretta Sanchez, D-Santa Ana; and former California Republican Party Chairman Tom Del Beccaro, of Lafayette.

Rep. Jerrold Nadler of New York, the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, said there was nothing wrong with the officials expressing “private political views via private text messages.” Strzok, in particular, “did not say anything about Donald Trump that the majority of Americans weren’t also thinking at the same time,” he said.